Puzzle.



\ W. T. CLERK.

PUZZLE,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1910.

960,623, Patented June 7,1910.

WW 6% coo as WILLIAM T. CLERK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June *7, 1910.

Application filed March 31, 1910. Serial No. 552,664.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM T. CLERK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in puzzles.

The object of my invention is to afford a puzzle or toy to be used for amusement or pastime, which shall be simple and inex pensive in construction, yet strong and durable, the parts capable of being made small and folded upon each other, so as to be compact and readily carried in the pocket, and the solving of which consists in the separation and replacing of its parts, which operations are performed with great difiiculty by the inexperienced.

My invention consists of structural features, and relative arrangement and operation of the parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the one sheet of drawing in which similar reference characters indicate the same part in the several figures; Figure 1, is the one and preferred form of my puzzle in which the part-s are arranged before solution; Fig. 2, is the first position in which the parts are placed during the solving of the puzzle; Fig. 3, is the second position; Fig. 4, represents the position of parts when the solution is reached; Fig. 5, is an end view of one of the members; Fig. 6, is a similar view of the irregular body; and Fig. 7, is a modified form of my invention.

In the drawings, 1 represents a member preferably of flat sheet metal, but which may be made of any thickness and shape, which is provided with an irregular opening 2, of any contour which approaches to one edge of the member 1, with a reduced section, as for example at 3.

4, is a member preferably of flexible construction, and as shown in the present instance is a chain having one link 5, with an opening or gap 6, slightly larger than the reduced section of the edge 3, of member 1, and smaller than the thickness of the connecting links or sections, so as not to become detached. One end of said member 4, is attached by means of an eye 7, to the member 1, while the other is provided with a body 8, of irregular contour and of such a shape, as to be almost capable, after much twisting and many trials, to be passed through the irregular opening 2, of the member 1. This member 8, is purposely made to simulate other puzzles, in which the solution is arrived at by many trials and fits, of an irregularly shaped body with a distorted or twisted opening, and one given the puzzle to solve, naturally and invariably attempts to pass the body 8, through the opening 2. In order to further carry the deception and distract attention from the gap 6, of link 5, I may have instead of a series of welded links broken links, as shown in Fig. 2, or every alternate link may be broken as shown in Fig. 3.

I11 submitting the puzzle for solution, the parts are in the position as shown in Fig. l, and the object is to have the flexible member 4 entirely outside of, or removed from the opening 2, of the member 1. This is accomplished by passing the member 4, along the opening 2, until opening or gap '6, of the link 5, is opposite the edge or reduced section 3 of the member 1, when said section 3, is slipped through the gap 6, and the link 5, assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. Then the position of the member 4, with respect to that of member 1 is preserved, and the link 5 is slipped around until the gap 6 reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, when the section 3, is moved then through the gap 6, and the flexible member 4, is entirely without the opening 2 of the member 1, and the puzzle solved.

In order to assemble the parts in position shown in Fig. 1, for the next solution, it is only necessary to pursue the reverse of the operations described above.

While I have shown and described in the foregoing my preferred form of invention, for the reason that the flexible member 4 is not liable to become detached and lost from the member 1, it will be readily seen that the same invention and puzzle will be had, if the flexible member 4, is entirely detached from the member and each of its ends provided with an irregular body as 8, or any other body as 9, shown in Fig. 7, which are not capable of being passed through the opening 2 of the member 1.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new is l. A puzzle comprising a flat member having an irregular opening therein, a flat irregular body unable to pass through the said irregular opening, a flexible member adapted to pass through the irregular opening and having a link open a distance greater than the thickness of the flat member and less than the thickness of the flexible member, said flexible member having one end connected With the irregular body and its other unable to pass through the irregular opening.

2. A puzzle comprising a flat member having an irregular opening therein, a Hat irregular body unable to pass through the said irregular opening, a flexible member adapted to pass through the irregular opening and having a link open a distance a little greater than the thickness of the flat member, and less than the thickness of the flexible member, said flexible member having one end connected With the flat member, and its other end connected With the irregular body.

A puzzle comprising a member having an opening therein, a body unable to pass through the said opening, a second member adapted to freely pass through the opening and provided With a link open a distance greater than the least thickness of the member having an opening thereln, sald second member having one of its ends connected With the said body and the other end so constructed and arranged as to be unable to pass through the opening.

i. A puzzle comprising a member having an irregular opening therein, an irregular body unable to pass through the said irregular opening, a flexible member adapted to pass through the irregular opening and having a link open a distance greater than the least thickness of the member having the opening, and less than the thickness of the flexible member, said flexible member having one end connected with the irregular body and its other end unable to be passed through the irregular opening.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WVILLIAM T. CLERK. \Vitnesses H. P. ROBERTS, \V. E. JnLIonNnonN. 

